Flexible corrugated tubular wall and method for making the same



Oct. 8, 1929. w M FULTON 1,731,130

FLEXIBLE CORRUGATED TUBULAR WALL AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME -Fi1ed Oct. 17, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet l Get. 8, 1929, w, FULTON 1,731,130

FLEXIBLE CORRUGATED TUBULAR WALL ANS METHOiJ FOR MAKING THE .SAME

Filed Oct. 17. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lrm 22 ,W, 21

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Oct, 8, 1929 w. M. FULTON 1,731,130

FLEXIBLE CORRUGATED TUBULAR WALL AND METHOD FOR MAKING'THE SAME Filed octfl'r. 1921 a Sheets-Sheet 5 WM Q AMW attorney 35 ner of construction disclosed in said prior Patented 8,;1929 I UNITED STAT-ES 'ZPI'ATEN'T OFFICE wns'ron M.-FULTON, orxnoxvnam, 'rnman ssnn,

AS SIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO THE FULTON SYLPHON COMPANY, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION I or DELAWARE CORRUGATED TUBULAR WALL AND METHOD FOR MARIN G THE SAME Application filed October 17, 1921. Serial No. 508,177.

This invention relates to flexible corrugated tubular walls and, more particularly,

to an improved manner of construction whereby walls of this character may be readily provided at one or both of their ends with a reinforced flange.

Flexible corrugated tubular walls are ordinarily' provided at one or both of their ends with a flange whereby said Wall ma be mounted in operative relation to itsassociated parts by clamping said flanges between cooperating elements on said associated parts.

To facilitate assembly of said walls with said said flanges are ordinarily made of such width that they project a substantial distance beyond the contiguous corrugations of the wall so as to enable the clamping elements to cooperate with portions of said flanges which project beyond the lateral surface of the wall as a whole. Conse uently, the flexure of said wall tends to sub ect the end flanges, owing to their greater Width, to

relatively great bending stresses and, as walls of this character are commonly made of very thin metal, reinforcement of said flanges becomes necessary to avoid an early failure of said flanges when the Wall is in operation.

In my prior Patent No. 1,167,895, granted J an. 11, 1916, and entitled Collapsible and expansible vessel, I have pointed out the desirability of providing reinforced end flanges on flexible corrugated tubular walls, and disclosed a construction whereby said end flanges may be reinforced and the danger of the early;

failure thereof overcome, but, while the manof which may be noted the following In order to form the flanges of sufficient width so that they will project beyond the contiguous corrugations-and aflord'an area for contact with clamping elements, said flanges are ordlnarily formed by a splnnlng process, andv such proces? requ res special machinery and tools over and above that required for the manufacture of the body portion of the wall. Moreover, the formation of the flanges by the spinning process leaves the peripheries of said flanges more or less irregular and with the flanges on different walls of different diameter, so that in order to get a regular periphery of standard diameter it becomes'necessary to subject said flanges to a trimming operation after they have been spun-which entailsfurther machinery, tools, labor and expense. Again, there is a decided tendency for the metal to crack during the spinning process, particularly when formin outwardly extending flanges, apparently be-' cause of the fact that the metal is being forced out on circles of greater and greater circum-. fercnce so that it becomes more and more stressed in circumferential directions. This entails a material loss of product owing-to therelatively large number of .walls that are spoiled during this step in their process of manufacture. Furthermore, the manufacture of separate reinforcing members requires special machinery and dies and therefore entails additional labor and expense,- as well as the handling of an additional part. Moreover, in the process of assembling these sepa-/ rate reinforcing members with the end flanges of the wall, constant care must/be exercised to prevent the presence of dirt between the contacting surfaces of the flange and reinforcing member, because such dirt tends to produce irregularities in the completed, flange, which irregularities are a constant source of difficulty in securing a fluid-tight joint between the flange andthe parts by which it is clamped.

It is an objectof this invention to provide a flexible corrugated tubular wallhaving reinforced flanges at one or both ends thereof, together with a method of making the same,

whereby the special machineny and tools, as 1 well as the additional labor and expense, incident to the formation of'flanges by a splnningprocess and the manufacture of separate reinforcing members is avoided, the loss incident to the cracking of the metal during the spinning process is eliminated, and the necessity of manufacturing and handling separate parts, as well as the exercise of extreme care in assembling the same, is overcome.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a wall'of the type characterized,

flexible corrugated tubular wall provided at whereby said wall may tight joints with the clamping elements of the associated parts islacil'itated.

tated broadly, the invention comprises a one or both of its ends with a reinforced flange "formed oi? an integrally continuous section oi said wall folded back upon itself and preferably taking the form or" substan tially parallel sections pressed into engagement. ln the preferred embodiment of said invention, is provided at one or both of its ends with one or more corrugations which are deeper than the contiguous corrugations of the body a portion ofthe wall,;and said deep corrugations are compressed, preferably until their lateral walls are in engagement, into reinforcing relation with each other. The peripheral portion of the outer section of said flange may also be readily formed if desired so as to reinforce the bend of the contiguous corrugation in the body ortion oi the wall.

The invention is capa le of receiving a variety of. mechanical expressions and the meth- 0d of manufacture or" being carried out in a variety of ways, some of which are illustrated on the accompanying drawings, but it is to be expressly understood that the drawings. are

for the purpose otillustration only and are not to be construed as a definition of the manner by limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claim for that purpose.

In said drawings, wherein the same reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts in the several figures Fig, 1 is a vertical axial section of a packless valve employing a flexible corrugated tubular wall embodying the present invention;

Fig, a diagrammatic axial section of a wall in course of manufacture illustrating one which reinforced fiangesembodyin the presentinvention may be termed;

Fig. 3 is diagrammatic axial section illustra'ting' a manner by which deep corrugations may be compressed to term reinforced flanges; v

Fig. lis an axial section illustrating the lateral walls or such a deep corrugation the flexible corrugatedtubular wall wall 10 is shown employed as a packing stood, however, that this has been the invention is equally ap back upon the-sections l?- and 19 1,733.1,l3ll

Fi 7 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention wherein the reinforced flange is further strengthened by the use of a separate reinforcing member of the type disclosed in my patent above identified; and

ber in conjunction therewith. I

In each of the figures, the thickness of the metal composing the wall hasbeen consider- '5 v ably magnified in proportion to the other ormensions for the sake or" clearness in illustrat;

ing the construction of said wall.

in l a flexible corrugated tubular ber between the valve member 11 and the valve casing 12. lit is to be expressly underselected as illustrative of only one of a great variety of constructions in which walls of this character may be employed, in the form here shown, said wall 10, which may be nonstructed of any suitable metal, by any suitable process, and of any suitablesize, form and dimensions, is provided at one end with a projecting flange 13 whereby said wall may be clamped between the body of the valve casing 12 and the-bonnet .or cap portion 14, and at the opposite end with a projecting flange 15 whereby said wall may be clamped between the body of the valve member 11 and an extension of the stem 16. Therefore, in this particular construction, the flexible cormeinrugated tubular wall is provided with a flange at both of its ends, one projecting outwardly and the other projecting inwardly. llt is to be expressly understood, however, that licable to walls provided with a flange at on y one of its ends, whether extending outwardly or inwardly, and also to walls wherein both of the flanges extend in the same direction, whether outwardly or inwardly.

v lln accordance with the present invention, each flange on the flexible corrugated tubular wall is reinforced by folding the end portion or the wall back upon itself so that the flange is composed of a plurality of sections which the wall and with each other. Thus in the form shown in Fig. l, the

flange lSis termed or integrally-continuous substantially par allel sections 17 and 18, and the flange 15 1s termed of integrally-continuous substantiah I ly parallel sections 19 and 20, the outer sections 18 and 20 respectively being folded v respectively so asto form a two-ply reinforced flange.

A reinforced flange of this character may be formed in any sultable way, but is preferably made by compressing one or more 001- walls are in 2 ends, and at tions may be formed in any suitable way but, particularly when the corrugations in the body portion of the wall are formed by and claimed in my prior granted Oct. 4, 1910, and

the process disclosed Patent No. 971,838,

entitled Process of making tubular-metal walls, may be desirably formed by a rolling process of the character outlined in said patent.

Referring to Fig. 2, I have shown a tubu- ,lar blank 21 provided along its length with any suitable number of initial corrugations 22 spaced by uncorrugated portions 23, such as would be formed by the practice of the. first corrugating ste of the process disclosed my patent above identified, said blank bemg also provided at each of its ends with broader and deeper corrugations 24 and 25, the latter, in the event that it is to form an inwardl -directed reinforced flange, being spaced rom the next adjacent corrugation by a relatively wide uncorrugated portion 26. Said relatively broad and deep corrugations 25 and 26 may then be subjected to successive rolling operations in conformity with the process of my patent above identified so as to deepen and narrow the same until, together with the relatively wide uncorrugated portion 26, they are formed into relatively deep corrugations which project beyond the contiguous corrugations of the body portionof the wall, as shown in Fig. 3. In the latter figure, the corrugation 24 has been deepened and narrowed" to form the relativel deep corrugation 27 projecting outwardly beyond the contiguous corrugation 28 of the body Accordingly, said relatively'deep corruga tions may be formed on the same machine as is used. in forming the body corrugations of .than two-ply. This the wall but, if desired, a separate machine with a separate set of rolls may be employed.

with each other throughout their surfaces.

According to the procedure diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 3, opposed dies 31 and 32,

of a size suitable to engage the projecting portion of the relatively deep corrugation 27, are

forced toward each other until said corrugation is closed and its lateral walls 33 and 34 brought into engagement, as illustrated'm Fig. 4. Similarly, the relatively deep corru gation 29 may be subjected to interior dies to close the same and bring its lateral walls 35 and 36 into engagement, as also illustrated in Fig. 4. In place of compressing the relatively deep corrugations by opposed dies, however, seaming rolls or any other paratus may be employed if desired.

'After the relatively deep corugations have been compressed, the superfluous end portions of tlie'blank are cut oil". Such superfluous portions may be trimmed away flush with the periphery of the contiguous corrugations, but are preferably'so cut as to leave projecting portions 37 and 38, which may thereafter be suitable ap-' formed or shaped in any suitable way, as by spinning or the use of dies, so as to have reinforcing engagement with the bends of the contiguous corrugations for the purpose pointed out in my prior Patent N 0. 1,167,895. The width left in said projecting portions will vary with the width'of the contiguous corrugations 1n the body portion of the wall, and should be such that said projecting portions may be spun or otherwise Worked over so as to embrace and reinforce the bends of the contiguous corrugations as illustrated at 39 and 40 in Fig. 1. portion of the wall, and the corrugation 25v While a reinforced flange composed of two integrally contiguous sections formed by compressinga single relatively deep corrugation will frequently be ,suflicient, the 7 reinforced flange may be made more rigid and strong when desired by forming the same of more can be accomplished by forming and compressing in any suitable Way, as by the method heretofore outlined, two or more relatively deep corrugations at one or both ends of the flexible corrugated tubular wall. In the form shown in Fig.5, each of the flanges is made four-ply by compressing two relatively deep corrugations 41 and 42 at one end, and two relativelydeep corrugations'43 and 44 at theopposite end, until their lateral walls are in engagement, the outer section of each of the reinforced flanges being also pro-- from corrugations of the flexible corrugated tubular wall.

A flange constructed in the present invention also facilitates the formation of fluid-tight joints, because packing material may be readily interposed between the substantially parallel sections of-the reinforced flange and retained therein, owing .to the integral construction of the flange, against the pressure to which the packing may be subeeted. in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig, 6, packing material l7 and 48, of any suitable character such as asbestos or composition, has been interposed between the substantially parallel walls 49, 50 and 51, 52

, at the opposite ends of the wall respectively.

present invention, the tendency of the-metal to crack under the It will be observed that in each instance the packing material is entirely enclosed by the folded metalof the reinforced flange and is therefore securely retained against being forced out by the pressure to which the wall is sub ected. While the packing has been shown as interposed only in a two-ply reinforced flange, it is to be expressly understood that it may be employed equally well in conjunction with flanges having a greater number of ply.

While I prefer-to provide each reinforced flange entirely of integrally-continuous sec-,

tions compressed into reinforcing relationship as heretoforedescribed, 1 may, if desired, employ a separate reinforcing member in comunctionwith a reinforcedflange of the character heretofore described. Thereby will be secured some of the advantages of the such as the avoidance of spinning operation as well as the use of the special machinery. and tools necessary to forming of flanges by such an operation, while at the same time great stren h and rigidity may be obtained by the use 0 the separate re inforcing member's, Thus, in the form shown in Fig; 7, the reinforced flanges. 53 and he have been further strengthened by suitably mounting thereon separate reinforcing membars 55 antes, respectively, of thecharacter disclosed in nlyprior Patent No. 1,167,825.

en. separate reinforcing members of this character are employed; the outer sections of each of the reinforced flanges 53 and 54 may.

illusbut I prefer to form the reinforced flangeshaving walls of snbstantially the same thickness as the main portion conformity with v "to be thinnest owing the maniac be trimmed ofl approximately flush with the periphery of the contiguous corrugation, and the separate reinforcing members provided with flanges 57 and 58 respectively to be spun or otherwise formed to embrace the bends of the contiguous corrugations and reinforce v 1n my prior patent.

the latter, as pointed'out .last referred to. if desired,-however, said end sections'may be spun-or otherwise formed into reinforcing-relation to the bends of the contiguous corrugations, either with or without the use of the flanges 57 and 58. While separate reinforcing members have been shown as applied only to a'two-ply reinforced flange, it is apparent that if desired separate reinforcing members may also. be employed in conjunction'with flanges of a larger number of ply. Likewise, separate reinforcing members may be used in conjunction with packing retained between the same and the reinforced flange, or the reinforced flange, when desired.

Particularly if separate reinforcing members are to be employed, it is not-necessary that the outer section of the reinforced flange extend throughout the width of said flange, as

said section may be trimmed ofl so as to reinandrigidity to the flange. In the form shown.

in Fig. 8, the reinforced flanges 59 and 60 are illustrated as hav ng only relatively short but integrally continuous sections 61 and 62 pressed into folded engagement with the body portions of said flanges. Thereby some of the advantages ofthepresent invention will still be obtained, because of the elimination of'the loss of product, as well as the necessity for special machinery, incident to the use of the spinning process. this manner of constructing the reinforced flange aflords strength and rigidity in said flange at the place where the metal is likely to the treatment to which it is'subjected in forming the flange as well as where it is to be clampedbetween the cooperating elements ofthe parts with which the wall is to be associated. The overlapping sections of these reinforced flanges also facilitate the retention of packing if such is "to be. used. Separate reinforcing members 57 and 58 of the character illustrated in the embodiment ofFig, '1 may be mounted on said reinforced flanges as shown in dotted lines in "Fig. 8 j I While an outer section of the reinforced flange which extends in contact with the vflange proper for only a portion of its width has been illustrated in conjunction wit It will be observed' that flanges forined only from a single relatively deep corrugation, it is apparent that the out ermost section of flanges formed from a plurality of relatively ideep corrugations may be made of the character illustrated in Fig, 8,

if desired, and in any construction in which the outermost section is made of less width "than the inner section or sections, said outerillustrated on the drawings employ only single-ply metal in the flexible corrugated tubular wall, it is to be expressly understood that the present invention may also be applied to a wall of laminated structure such as described in my prior Patent No. 979,460 granted Dec. 27, 1910, and entitled Flexible corrugated Wall for collapsible and expansible Y vessels.

It will therefore be perceived that I have provided a reinforced flange for flexible corrugated tubular walls, as Well as a method of making the same, whereby the special machineryv and tools, as Well as the additional gated portion of said wall, said sections being compressed into parallel reinforcing relationship forming a fluid-tight joint and having the periphery of the outermost section bent into reinforcing engagement with the bend of the contiguous corrugation.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

WESTON M. FULTON.

labor and expense, incident to the formation of flanges by a spinning process and the manufacture of separate reinforcing members, is avoided, the loss incident to cracking of the metal during the spinning process is eliminated, and the necessity of manufacturing and handling separate parts, as well as the exercise of extreme care in assembling the same, is overcome. Furthermore, I have provided a reinforced flange and method of making the same whereby strong and be simply and inexpensivel without the use of soldering, brazing or Welding, while the formation of fluid-tight joints is facilitated.

While the embodiments of the invention illustrated on the drawings have been described with considerable particularity, it is to be expressly understood that the invention receiving a variety of mechanical expressions and of being carried out in a variety of ways; changes may also be made in the'details of construction and procedure and features of constructions illustrated in conjunction with ls-not limited thereto, as the same is capable of I durable flanges may manufactured some of the embodiments may be omitted or employed in conjunction with other embodiments, without departing from the spirit of this invention. Reference is therefore to be a had to the claim hereto appended for a definition of the limits of said invention, it being understood that in said claim the reference to a wall having a flange at its end is to be construed as embracing such a flange at either or both of its ends.

What is claimed is:

A flexible corrugated tubular Wall of'thin metal provided at its end with a reinforced flange which projects radially be ond the flexible corrugations of said wa'l and is formed-of one or morecorrugations deeper than said flexiblecorrugations and constituted by sections which are integrally continuous with each other and with the flexibly co'rru-- 

